Head of AI Centre of Excellence

About us

At Davy, it’s the unique talents of all our people that have been the foundations of our success for almost 100 years. As we continue to grow, so do you. Because you are not just part of our team – you are a key player in shaping our future.

At Davy, you are the difference.

Established in 1926, the Davy Group sits at the heart of wealth and capital in Ireland, providing a broad range of services to high-net-worth individuals, self-directed investors, small-to-medium enterprises, credit unions, corporations, and domestic & international institutional investors.

Our culture is shaped around three values, which are at the heart of everything we do: client success, one Davy, and building a proud legacy. Sharing the same goals, we work together to deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients. As part of a team of over 900, you will be encouraged to learn and to grow, both professionally and personally.

About the role

The Head of the AI Centre of Excellence will establish and lead our enterprise AI capability, shaping strategy and delivering solutions across AI, ML, Generative AI, and agentic automation. As a senior leader, you will define the vision, governance, and operating model for AI, build a high-performing team, and ensure the responsible and scalable use of advanced AI technologies to create measurable business value.

Key Responsibilities

- Define the enterprise AI strategy, including standards, patterns, governance, and operating model.
- Collaborate with business and technology stakeholders to identify AI value opportunities, develop a prioritised roadmap, and deliver solutions from discovery to production with clear value measures.
- Drive innovation and lead delivery of high-value AI, ML, GenAI, and agentic automation solutions, enabling teams with reusable platforms, tools, and best practices.
- Act as a senior advisor on AI, helping leaders identify opportunities, understand risks, and adopt AI responsibly and ethically.
- Oversee AI architecture and integration using technologies such as Snowflake, Azure AI/ML, Salesforce Einstein, or similar platforms, ensuring secure, compliant, and high-quality solutions.
- Build and lead the AI CoE, developing a multidisciplinary, inclusive team and embedding best-practice engineering, MLOps/LLMOps, and delivery excellence.

About you

You do not need to meet every requirement to apply—if you believe you have relevant experience and a passion for responsible AI leadership, we encourage you to express your interest.

- Experience leading AI, ML, or advanced analytics teams in a complex or regulated environment (financial services experience is helpful but not essential).
- Strong understanding of machine learning, LLMs, Generative AI techniques, and agentic automation, and how they can be applied in real-world scenarios.
- Familiarity with enterprise AI and data platforms such as Snowflake, Azure AI/ML, and Salesforce Einstein.
- Creates an architecture, in collaboration with colleagues in Technology, an AI architecture that evolves with advances in tools.
- Ability to shape strategy, create clear frameworks, and communicate complex AI concepts in an accessible way to senior leaders.
- Experience defining enterprise AI strategy, governance, and operating models.
- Demonstrated ability to deliver AI solutions that achieve measurable business impact at scale.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence senior technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Strong planning and organisational skills, including the ability to take initiative and manage priorities effectively. Experience with Agile frameworks and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Ensure compliance with data privacy, ethics and regulatory requirements with a strong focus on embedding Responsible AI principles.
- Degree or postgraduate qualification in a numerate or quantitative discipline (e.g., Mathematics, Computer Science, Statistics, Management Science, Information Management, Economics) or equivalent industry experience.

What we offer

At Davy, our people are our biggest investment. In today’s fast-moving world, we know it’s important to feel secure and empowered. That’s why Davy benefits support you through all of life’s stages, offering health and wellness, flexible working options, flexible benefits allowance, learning and development opportunities, through to assisted retirement planning.

Health and Wellbeing

Psychological safety, emotional wellbeing and support are a priority at Davy. We offer a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and mental health first aid. Our Sports & Social teams promote physical wellbeing and social connection.

Reward and Recognition

We offer a competitive remuneration package to include salary, bonus, pension and a host of additional benefits to protect you and your family when it matters most.

Growth and Development

Our award-winning L&D function supports you and your growth at Davy. We offer a comprehensive range of professional and personal development opportunities. Our culture supports learning, and we encourage you to explore more at Davy.

Positive Workplace

Our workplace is inclusive, diverse, and offers everyone a sense of belonging. We are flexible and continue to support a hybrid working model. You will get to be your best at Davy.

Values and Culture

Exceptional client outcomes delivered by a world class team, underpinned by our core Davy values – One Team, Client Success, and Proud Legacy.

Important Information

Davy is an equal opportunities employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We value diversity in both background and experience, and even if you don’t meet all of the requirements outlined in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. We review all applications received. As part of our commitment to creating an accessible environment, we want to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in the interview process. If you require any reasonable accommodations, please, and we will do our best to make the necessary arrangements.

Appointment to this role is subject to the candidate's eligibility to work in Ireland.

Where agency assistance is required, our Recruitment Team will engage directly with suppliers. Unsolicited CVs / profiles supplied to us by recruitment agencies will not be accepted for this role.

Davy Group is a member of the Bank of Ireland Group.

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